Why Plastisol Ink Is Thick and How To Fix It

Plastisol inks need to be stirred prior to each use. When sitting around in storage they create a “false body”. This is the thickness of the ink at rest. It can seem extremely thick and difficult to work with.

Plastisol inks are thixotropic. As per Wikipedia- “Thixotropy is the property of certain gels or fluids that are thick (viscous) under normal conditions, but flow (become thin, less viscous) over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed.”

Plastisol inks are composed of microplastic particles. When you stir the ink, you rub these plastic particles up against each other, creating enough friction to warm and loosen the ink.

This means that Plastisol ink will become thinner when either stirred or manipulated by a squeegee in the printing process. By stirring frequently, you can reduce the need for additives like curable reducer and make it easier to pass through higher mesh screen like 230 and above.